Lipoprotein [a] behaviour in viral hepatitis patients

ABSTRACT

To correlate liver lipoprotein [a] level with biochemical parameters of viral hepatitis, induced due to most common causes, hepatitis B and C. This was a prospective study performed during the period of January 2008 to June 2008. Patient selection was done by simple random enrollment of adult males and females after confirmation of their diagnosis by ELISA method. Total of 80 patients positive for hepatitis B and C virus infection with and without cirrhosis were enrolled for study. Normal subjects were selected as control for study. Serum lipoprotein [a] was estimated by ELISA method and prothrombin time by one stage method. While enzymes assay was done by enzymatic method. The mean values of lipoprotein [a] were found statistically significantly diminished in all groups, which indicate decreased synthesis by the damaged liver. It showed statistically significant negative correlation with prothrombin time, AST and ALT in all patients groups. The results of our study indicate that there is an apparent decline in lipoprotein [a] level in both patients of with and without cirrhosis irrespective of causative organism, relatively more decline in patients of cirrhosis. The apparent decline and evidence of more decrease in the level of lipoprotein [a] with the increase in the stage of disease and its significant correlation with other biochemical parameters, reflects that the evaluation of lipoprotein [a] serum levels may contribute, among other markers, to a more complete evaluation of liver function in patients of viral hepatitis